Danielle Botelho
Danielle Botelho, PhD, is Director of Scientific Operations at the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM), where she leads a team of scientists responsible for evaluating fragrance ingredients used in consumer products worldwide. With a PhD in Toxicology from Rutgers University, Dr. Botelho specializes in translating complex safety science into defensible, real-world conclusions. Her published work spans chemical clustering, alternative testing strategies, and pulmonary toxicology, and she brings a collaborative, consumer-centered approach to making rigorous science accessible. At HCPA 2026, she'll walk attendees through RIFM's exposure-based safety framework, showing just how wide the margin is between everyday fragrance use and any level of concern; and why that matters for the industry.
Tuesday May 12
Joint Air Care & Cleaning Products Division Program
Fragrance & the Modern Consumer: Safety, Science, and Social Media
This session will examine how evolving science, regulatory pressure, and consumer perspectives are reshaping product development and post-market risk management, with a focus on fragrance.
As volatile organic compound (VOC) regulations continue to tighten across North America, manufacturers and fragrance houses are moving beyond ethanol- and propellant-dependent delivery systems toward fundamentally new fragrance architectures that preserve performance while reducing or eliminating VOC use and enabling new product formats and portfolio differentiation.
The session will then turn to a timely discussion on post-market surveillance in the age of social media where viral trends can transform isolated misuse patterns into widespread public health concerns overnight. Attendees will walk away with critical intake questions and best practices for adverse event documentation.
The session will close with a joint exploration of fragrance safety in consumer products, highlighting new research from the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) and how it is reaching consumers through educational media. Attendees will also participate in a demonstration illustrating real-world exposure to fragrance ingredients in scented products.
Speakers:
Danielle Botelho, The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM)
Ashley Brown, Clinical Toxicology Manager and Senior Clinical Toxicologist, SafetyCall International, LLC
Alison Sykes, Innovation Advisor, RTI International